Nations to be graded according to ICT’s CO2 emissions

The new index launched by IDC

Countries should be graded according to the environmental performances of their respective information and communications technology (ICT) industry.

The proposal for a new grading system has been launched by private firm IDC. It will result in what has been called ICT Sustainability Index, measuring a nation’s capabilities to curb and control its ICT-originated CO2 and GHG emissions. It which will be released prior to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, Dec. 7-18, 2009, in Copenhagen.

In addition to population and gross domestic product data, the index correlates a country’s energy profile with its ICT investment and spending patterns to help make climate change targets attainable, according to a press release.

“Countries need help to better understand where they should invest in ICT in order to meet any internal or international targets,” said Vernon Turner, Senior Vice President of IDC’s Enterprise Infrastructure, Consumer, and Telecom Research, in a statement.

The index, which is part of IDC’s Green Initiative, has already been tested against data from G20 nations, which account for about 75 percent of the world’s energy use.

Turner said the index can help nation’s prioritize ICT investments in major sectors, such as manufacturing, transport, and housing, as part of their overall climate change strategy.

A climate change official at the United Nations said recently that without “strong” commitments to curb CO2 emissions, the upcoming climate talks will be a failure.

Advertisements

Share this:

Like this:

Related

One comment on “Nations to be graded according to ICT’s CO2 emissions”

It seems clear that companies and countries will be promoting technical solutions to reduce travel, increasing slightly ITC CO2, but reducing significantly the overall CO2. This video (http://tinyurl.com/ycch7lw ) called “I will not travel” is a clear message of the ICT influence on an employee rebelion that will have impact on productivity and CO2
(for english subtitles you have to click on the bottom right conner of the youtube video reproduction)
Manuel Nó